MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 3, 2023

Sahith Theegala

Quick Quotes

Q. Does it feel real yet, first Masters?

SAHITH THEEGALA: It does, yeah. Today was a big step, I felt like. It was different playing with people. I played all 18 holes, and I was nervous. It was cool. A lot of the excitement, I think I'm going to be able to get out of the way the first few days.

I think that's an underrated part actually is playing practice rounds with fans. You already kind of get almost like a tournament sense. Yeah, it feels very real.

I feel like this week is going to go fast. Going to try to make it go slower.

Q. What are your expectations for the week?

SAHITH THEEGALA: Honestly, I've been asked that a lot. People are like go kick some ass, win the thing. I'm not even worried about it.

I've been playing really good. I had a good lead up into this week with practice. I have a good plan. I came out and practiced a little yesterday, playing today, and next few days take it a little lighter than today. So just keep that.

I'm hitting it really well. So I'm very excited.

Q. You got here on Saturday?

SAHITH THEEGALA: I got here Sunday. I flew from Houston, which is nice about being there. Flew at 10:00 a.m., got here at 2:00, and just came out and practiced for like three hours.

Q. How much did you see this course before this past weekend?

SAHITH THEEGALA: I got a lot of looks. I took advantage of all the days I could. I played eight rounds just in the last five months.

Q. Do you think that's more than anybody?

SAHITH THEEGALA: No, I'm sure some guys have gone out more. Every day I came out, I played 36. I was only out here for four days, but I played 36 every day.

Q. Any special rounds? Did you bring your dad once?

SAHITH THEEGALA: No, I didn't. I was able to bring two of my best golf friends, Roy and Fred. My dad wouldn't -- he's going to absolutely love it when he gets here tomorrow, but he would not enjoy to play, I don't think. He's not good enough. He'd shoot 200.

But I was able to bring a couple of really good buddies out with a member that we know. It was really special, yeah, to have them out here.

Q. Does what Will did as a first-timer, what Sungjae did, does that give you confidence?

SAHITH THEEGALA: Yeah. Obviously this is the golf tournament I feel like everyone wants to win the most, and to see first-timers kind of have success like they have, it's cool because you could play this golf course 20 times, 20 tournaments, and sure, that experience definitely pays off, but you're still going to hit it in spots that you don't know really know what to do.

Yeah, it's cool that those guys -- I think they both finished runner-up.

Yeah, I don't really think about it, but I feel like this course sets up really well for me specifically. It's a little bit wider off the tee and more approach shot and a lot of two-putt, short game up-and-down oriented.

It's nice. I feel like I could play from anywhere out here.

Q. Do you feel like the amount of uneven lies you get, do you think that plays into your hands more than anybody --

SAHITH THEEGALA: For sure because, if you gave me a flat lie every shot, I'm not the best range player, I'll be the first to admit that. I think there's a lot of guys that aren't even here at this event that could hit it much, much better than me from a flat range lie.

I think kind of having my feel and my visualization take over off these uneven lies. I'm not even worried about got to put a perfect swing on it. I'm just feeling the slope out. Can't miss there so I'm hitting it there.

I wouldn't say it's an advantage. There's so many guys out here that are so, so good at that stuff. But I really enjoy that aspect of it.

Q. Have you tried at home to practice on the side of a side hill of the range or something?

SAHITH THEEGALA: Everyone is asking me that too, and I haven't done anything different. Like I said, I feel like I get on these slopes and just feel it out. I've hit it in a lot of bad spots in my life. So I feel like I know how to get it out of a lot of weird lies and trouble and stuff.

No, I really haven't done anything different prep-wise.

Q. What's the biggest hero shot you've had in the rounds you've played out here so far?

SAHITH THEEGALA: I've hit a couple of really big hooks around trees because I'm primarily hitting like a low cut, and some of the low cuts, which my miss has been usually right, but some of the low cuts, if I ever miss it left, I just kind of go straight. But I always have a shot because they're not too far into the trees.

So I've got a good feel for some of like the slingy hooks, such as into 17 and 11, missing a little bit right, hooking it around those trees there.

So, yeah, I haven't hit like a hero hero shot, I'd say yet. But also haven't seriously kept score.

Q. What are you doing on 13?

SAHITH THEEGALA: 13, so I'm just aiming at -- there's one tree that's tilted a little bit left. It's a 308 run at that. I just aim at that and swing and let my little cut take it right. I still only have 225 middle.

If I have a good lie and if I get it a little further left, I go for it. If I have to hit more than a 4-iron in, I'm going to lay up.

Q. What's it feel like when you're standing back there on that tee and you've got trees and all that?

SAHITH THEEGALA: Honestly, I never played the old tee, but I think the new tee for me personally is probably better because it doesn't really give you that much of an advantage cutting the corner anymore.

The guys who fly it 310 with a hydraulic, Rory and Cam Young and those guys, are definitely still going to be able to take it over the corner, but a majority of the guys aren't going to be taking it over the corner.

I think it plays better in my own hands because off the old tee you have to hit a draw. Now you don't have to hit a draw.